FALL 2016 Page 8 Member Profile: Champagne & Marx Excavating, Inc. Page 10 Associate Member Profile: Jeffers Crane Service Page 42 DBE Profile: Gian Taneja, MDOT Lansing, MI Lansing, PERMIT #979 PERMIT PAID P. O. Box 1640, Okemos, MI 48805-1640 MI Okemos, 1640, Box O. P. U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRST STD PRST MITA, Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association Transportation & Infrastructure Michigan MITA, FALL 2016 contents 5 Executive Vice President Comment 8 Member Profile 10 Associate Member Profile 13 Letters to MITA 13 New MITA Members 15 Vice President of Engineering Services Comment 16 Legal Issues 17 Vice President of Government Affairs Comment 19 Director of Safety and Workforce Development Comment 20 Outreach Spotlight 21 MITA PAC Update 25 Underground Spotlight 26 Member Project Profile 33 Member Voice 41 MITA Members Giving Back 42 DBE Profile 52 ARTBA News 56 MITA Calendar 57 Problem Solver 58 Did You Know? Cover Photo Credit: The ALL Family of Companies For Cross-Section Magazine advertising, circulation or editorial inquiries, contact Nancy Brown at: phone: 517-347-8336; fax, 517-347-8344; e-mail, [email protected]; or by mail at the following mailing address: MITA, P.O. Box 1640, Okemos, Mich., 48805-1640. © 2016 Cross- Section. All rights reserved. Reprints or reproductions only with written consent of MITA. 4 MITA CROSSSECTION FALL 2016 EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT t has been a long, productive year at MITA, as we have worked tirelessly on behalf of the industry. Problem Solver I on page 57 discusses just one of the hundreds of issues MITA has dealt with this year. In this case, which MITA resolved, a contractor was running into a situation where a common practice for them was being questioned by a regional government official for the state. Remember, we are always here to help you, so don’t hesitate to contact the MITA office anytime. Glenn Bukoski, P.E., our vice president of engineering services, discusses on page 15 a process that MITA is already addressing for our members: the MDOT Standard Specification Review. At our Summer Conference in July, MDOT leadership announced that they have initiated the next review process, with Mike Nystrom the goal of releasing the 2019 edition of the MDOT Standard Specifications for Construction in early 2020. MITA will be looking out for the best interests of the industry as this lengthy review moves forward. Speaking of your best interests, the Legal Issues on page 16, “Squeezing Contractors Again,” discusses whether cities can shift costs from utility companies to contractors. Eric Flessland and Paul Mersino of Butzel Long discuss the legality of utility relocation contract provisions in great detail. On the lighter side, MITA hosted a “wildly successful” Wild Game Dinner in September, thanks to the support of our sponsors. You can see photos from the event and sponsor logos starting on page 30. We hope you plan to join us for the upcoming MITA holiday parties, which are outlined on page 58. Please also mark your calendars for the 12th Annual MITA Annual Conference. Details are on page 58, and watch your emails for a complete schedule and registration information. See you January 18-20, 2016 at the Soaring Eagle Resort and Casino! Professional, Customized Training in CRANE OPERATOR CERTIFICATION SIGNAL PERSON • RIGGING OVERHEAD CRANE OPERATOR 989-245-3963 optareservices.com WWW.MI-ITA.COM 5 MITA 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Director At Large ASSOCIATE MEMBER NANCY BROWN CHAD LISTERMAN COUNCIL Director of Communications President CL Trucking & Excavating, LLC [email protected] TOM WAGENMAKER DALE KLETT Director At Large MATT MCCLINTICK Anlaan Corporation Klett Recycle, Inc. PETE SCODELLER Director of Safety and President-Elect Scodeller Construction, Inc. ERIC MORRIS Workforce Development JIM DOESCHER HNTB Michigan, Inc. [email protected] Dan’s Excavating, Inc. Director At Large SCOTT VELTING BOB BRANNAN DANIELLE COPPERSMITH Vice President Velting Contractors, Inc. HYMMCO, LLCMITA ST Events Coordinator MIKE MALLOURE [email protected] C.A. Hull Co., Inc. Director – Underground PAT DUNIGAN STAFF MARY MOODY Treasurer Dunigan Bros., Inc. MIKE NYSTROM Accounting Coordinator BRANDIE MEISNER [email protected] Executive Vice President / Secretary M & M Excavating Company Director – Concrete ANGELO LANNI [email protected] ELLEN NYSTROM Executive Vice President/Secretary Florence Cement Company, Inc. ROB COPPERSMITH Receptionist MIKE NYSTROM [email protected] Director – Bituminous Vice President of Membership Services MARIAM ROBINSON DIRECTORS ALAN SANDELL Cadillac Asphalt, LLC [email protected] Outreach Coordinator GLENN BUKOSKI, PE [email protected] Past President Director – Structures SCOTT BAZINET JEFF STOVER Vice President of Engineering SARA SCHAIBLY Lowe Construction Toebe Construction LLC Services Membership Services Coordinator [email protected] [email protected] Past President Director – Specialties KEITH ROSE ROD MERSINO LANCE BINONIEMI JANIS STRANG Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Mersino Dewatering, Inc. Vice President of Government Executive Assistant Affairs Director At Large [email protected] Director – Utilities [email protected] RINALDO ACCIAVATTI REMI COOLSAET RACHELLE VANDEVENTER, PE Pamar Enterprises, Inc. R.L. Coolsaet Construction Co. Vice President of Industry Relations Director At Large Director – Excavating [email protected] GREGG CAMPBELL TROY BROAD Michigan Paving & Materials Co. Team Elmer’s Director At Large BRIAN HOFFMAN Hoffman Bros., Inc. Director At Large STEVE MARANOWSKI Spartan Specialties, LTD Director At Large MIKE PEAKE Action Traffic Maintenance Director At Large J.W. FISHER Fisher Contracting Company Director At Large ANNE COURSEY Champagne & Marx Excavating Director At Large JACK DYKSTRA Jack Dykstra Excavating Director At Large JOHN ZITO Zito Construction Co. Director At Large KARL SCHWEITZER GM & Sons, Inc. 6 MITA CROSSSECTION FALL 2016 MEMBER PROFILE MEMBER PROFILE Champagne & Marx Excavating, Inc. f you walk, drive or build on it, projects for Caro Public Schools and on the equipment maintenance; and Champagne & Marx Excavating, Consumers Energy. Christine, a certified occupational I Inc., based in Saginaw, Mich., “We take pride in all of our safety specialist, fills the role of strives to be a one-stop shop for it. projects,” said Anne, who is a safety director. That is how Anne Coursey, member of the MITA Board of “Safety is no secret,” Christine president of the woman-owned, Directors and holds bachelor’s said. “Anyone who gets hired, we MDOT DBE certified company likes degrees in business administration, tell them if you have ideas, let’s to sum things up about the business and computer programming. “I’m talk about it. Safety is everyone’s she has been involved with since particularly fond of the projects responsibility. They are responsible she began cleaning the office at age that have had an impact on for their own safety and they need to 12. Her sister, Christine, who began the community. This spring we watch out for each other. Anyone on working for the business at age completed a very small playground the job can stop a job if it is not safe.” seven, is still by her side today and is located at the City of Zilwaukee In addition to safety, the serves as secretary/treasurer. Their boat ramp. I like to see the children company focuses on giving brother, David, is the vice president enjoying the park. We have customers the best project for the of the Saginaw-based company constructed many sports complexes best price, Christine added. “We that does heavy work in road in the past 43 years. Every time I don’t cut corners,” she said. “If it prep, foundation digging and other attend a game, it brings a smile to can be more efficient, we do it. We commercial and industrial projects. my face knowing our crews had a talk about it up front to give them the With 55 staff members, including hand in making the community a fun best product. If we spot engineering other family members, the company place to play.” problems with a project, we give has been busy this year with projects She jokes that the secret to them our input into how they can that include Maankiki Marsh at success of Champagne & Marx as change the design ahead of time so Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge; a tightly run family business is the at least they have the option.” Mason Street and Hemmeter Road fact that each of the siblings brings a Champagne & Marx is also in Saginaw (both MDOT projects); different skill set to the business. She well known for giving back to the Saginaw Valley State University handles the finances as well as the community, in projects that include Intermural Soccer Complex; plus day to day operations; David focuses but are not limited to “Pushing for a 8 MITA CROSSSECTION FALL 2016 MEMBER PROFILE Champagne & Marx Excavating, Inc. www.champagnemarx.com Women Owned Business, MDOT DBE Certified 1445 Liberty Road Saginaw, Mich. 48604 Phone: 989-755-8971 Fax: 989-755-0033 Anne Coursey – President David Marx – Vice President Champagne & Marx holiday card photo, Christine Davis – Secretary/Treasurer from Christmas 2015 Jeff Riley – Estimator Norm Davis – Estimator From left to right: Christine Davis, Anne Member of MITA Since 1997 Coursey, and David Marx Cure” to end MS. They also established a foundation for engineering students at Saginaw Valley State University, known as the Marx Family Endowed Engineering Scholarship. A BRIEF HISTORY OF “It is my sister Christine’s own fight with MS which led us to raise CHAMPAGNE & MARX awareness and funds to help battle the disease,” Anne said. “Every EXCAVATING, INC. year, to thank those people who donate to MS events in our area, we host a fish fry at the end of June. It used to be held at my parent’s house, when there were just 10-12 people attending. Every year it grew In 1973, Frank Champagne had and grew, and this year we had to rent a hall for the 225 people in a bulldozer and Tom Marx had a attendance.” road grader.